In 1980 Big Game, Cal walk-on beat John Elway

BIG GAME HISTORY Nov. 22, 1980

Published 4:00 am, Friday, November 19, 2010

For Cal fans, this one is referred to as the J Torchio Game. That's J with no period because, well, he preferred it that way. Pretty presumptuous for a walk-on, but when you're the winning quarterback in the Big Game and John Elway isn't, you earn a little slack.

While Stanford, at 6-4, was hoping for a bid to the Peach Bowl with a win in the Big Game, Cal, at 2-9, was going nowhere except into the offseason. That the Bears upset the Cardinal 28-23 with a walk-on quarterback beating an All-American is proof that when it comes to the Big Game, anything can happen and often does.

Versatile scatback Vincent White was the star of the game for Stanford with three touchdowns. Elway, who would finish his Stanford career with a 1-3 mark in Big Games, completed only 20 of 45 passes, for 257 yards. Torchio's stats were modest - 11-of-22 for 186 yards and a touchdown.

Torchio scored on a bootleg run in the fourth quarter to put Cal up 28-21. Elway led the Cardinal on a long drive late in the game that ended with an incomplete pass on fourth down from Cal's 6-yard line.

Cal coach Roger Theder ordered up an intentional safety with 22 seconds left to account for the 28-23 final. The game ended on a desperation pass by Elway that fell incomplete.

Big Game 1980_2.jpg
11-24-1980- Dave Billsberg, right, and teammates celebrate around the Stanford Axe after Cal defeated Stanford in the Big Game on Nov. 22, 980 at Memorial Stadium.
Associate Press 1980/San Francisco Chronicle less

Big Game 1980_2.jpg
11-24-1980- Dave Billsberg, right, and teammates celebrate around the Stanford Axe after Cal defeated Stanford in the Big Game on Nov. 22, 980 at Memorial Stadium.
Associate Press 1980/San ... more

The 1980 Big Game was also notable for being the last one played on natural grass before Memorial Stadium went to artificial turf, only to be replaced by grass again for a few years before the current conversion to FieldTurf.